Swallowed or Inhaled Objects

Topic Overview

When you swallow food, liquid, or an object, what is
swallowed passes from your mouth through your throat and
esophagus into your stomach. A swallowed object will
usually pass through the rest of your
digestive tract without problems and show up in your stool in a few days. If food
or a nonfood item gets stuck along the way, a problem may develop that will
require a visit to a doctor.

Sometimes when you try to swallow, the
swallowed substance "goes down the wrong way" and gets inhaled into your
windpipe or lungs (aspirated). This occurs most often in children who are
younger than 3 years and in adults who are older than age 50. When you
inhale a substance, coughing is a normal reaction of the body to clear the
throat and windpipe. The cough is helpful and may clear up the problem.
Inhaling a substance into your lungs can cause a lung inflammation and
infection (aspiration pneumonia).

The situation may
be more serious when:

Signs of choking (complete airway
obstruction) are present. When the windpipe is blocked, air cannot move in and
out of the lungs and the person cannot talk, cry, breathe, or cough. A blocked windpipe is a
life-threatening emergency.

The
choking rescue procedure (Heimlich maneuver) is used
to clear an obstruction in adults and children older than 1
year.

Signs of a
partially blocked windpipe are present. When the
windpipe is partially blocked, some air can still move in and out of the lungs.
The person may gag, cough, or have trouble breathing. Coughing will often pop out the food or object and relieve the symptoms. The
choking rescue procedure is not recommended when the
windpipe is partially blocked.

About 80% to 90% of swallowed objects, like chewing gum, are harmless and pass through the
gastrointestinal tract without problems. But some types of objects can
cause more serious problems when they are swallowed. These include:

Large objects that may get stuck in the digestive
tract and require removal.

Your doctor may recommend tests such as an
X-ray,
endoscopy, or
barium swallow to help find the object if it doesn't
come out in the stool, or if an inhaled object is not coughed out. See an
X-ray of a swallowed object. A special metal detector (not the same kind that
people use in their yards) might be used to locate a metallic object, such as a
coin, inside the body. Your doctor may then recommend a procedure to remove the
object or may simply encourage you to continue to check the stool for the
passage of the object.

After passing out, it's normal to feel a little confused, weak, or lightheaded when you first wake up or come to. But unless something else is wrong, these symptoms should pass pretty quickly and you should soon feel about as awake and alert as you normally do.

Most coins pass through the body without a problem in 24 hours. If you don't pass the coin in this time frame, it's best to follow up with your doctor.

Yes

Swallowed coin more than 24 hours ago

No

Swallowed coin more than 24 hours ago

Has the coin passed out of your body in your stool?

Yes

Coin has passed out of body in stool

No

Coin has passed out of body in stool

Do you still have concerns more than a week after swallowing an object?

Yes

Concerns about object swallowed more than 1 week ago

No

Concerns about object swallowed more than 1 week ago

Call 911 Now

Based on your answers, you need
emergency care.

Call911or other emergency services now.

Seek Care Now

Based on your answers, you may need care right away. The problem is likely to get worse without medical care.

Call your doctor now to discuss the symptoms and
arrange for care.

If you cannot reach your doctor or you don't have
one, seek care in the next hour.

You do not need to call an
ambulance unless:

You cannot travel safely either by driving
yourself or by having someone else drive you.

You are in an area
where heavy traffic or other problems may slow you down.

Severe trouble breathing means:

The child cannot eat or talk because he or she is
breathing so hard.

The child's nostrils are flaring and the belly
is moving in and out with every breath.

The child seems to be
tiring out.

The child seems very sleepy or confused.

Moderate trouble breathing means:

The child is breathing a lot faster than
usual.

The child has to take breaks from eating or talking to
breathe.

The nostrils flare or the belly moves in and out at times
when the child breathes.

Mild trouble breathing means:

The child is breathing a little faster than usual.

The child seems a little out of breath but can still eat or talk.

Symptoms of difficulty breathing can range from mild to severe. For example:

You may feel a little out of breath but still be able to talk (mild difficulty breathing), or you may be so out of breath that you cannot talk at all (severe difficulty breathing).

It may be getting hard to breathe with activity (mild difficulty breathing), or you may have to work very hard to breathe even when you’re at rest (severe difficulty breathing).

Blood in the stool can come from
anywhere in the digestive tract, such as the stomach or intestines. Depending
on where the blood is coming from and how fast it is moving, it may be bright
red, reddish brown, or black like tar.

A little bit of bright red
blood on the stool or on the toilet paper is often caused by mild irritation of
the rectum. For example, this can happen if you have to strain hard to pass a
stool or if you have a hemorrhoid.

Certain medicines and foods can affect the color of stool. Diarrhea
medicines (such as Pepto-Bismol) and iron tablets can make the stool black.
Eating lots of beets may turn the stool red. Eating foods with black or dark
blue food coloring can turn the stool black.

If you take a medicine that affects the blood's ability to clot, such as aspirin, warfarin (Coumadin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), or clopidogrel (Plavix), it can cause some blood in your stools. If you take a blood thinner and have ongoing blood in your stools, call your doctor to discuss your symptoms.

Many things can affect how your body responds to a symptom and what kind
of care you may need. These include:

Your age. Babies and older
adults tend to get sicker quicker.

Your overall health. If you have a condition such as diabetes, HIV, cancer, or heart
disease, you may need to pay closer attention to certain symptoms and seek care
sooner.

Medicines you take. Certain
medicines, herbal remedies, and supplements can cause symptoms or make them
worse.

Recent health events, such as surgery
or injury. These kinds of events can cause symptoms afterwards or make them
more serious.

Your health habits and lifestyle, such as eating and exercise habits, smoking, alcohol or drug
use, sexual history, and travel.

Try Home Treatment

You have answered all the questions. Based on your answers, you may be
able to take care of this problem at home.

Try home treatment to relieve the
symptoms.

Call your doctor if symptoms get worse or you have any
concerns (for example, if symptoms are not getting better as you would expect).
You may need care sooner.

Disc batteries are small, round
batteries used in toys, cameras, watches, and other devices. Because of the
chemicals they can release, they can cause serious problems if they are
swallowed or get stuck in an ear or the nose. Small magnets used in household items and objects that contain a lot of lead (such as bullets, buckshot, fishing weights and sinkers, and some toys) also can cause problems if
swallowed.

If a disc battery is stuck in the ear or nose:

The battery needs to be removed right
away—within 1 hour if possible.

Use tweezers to try to remove the
battery. If you can't remove it, get medical help.

If you have swallowed a disc battery, magnet, or lead object:

Get medical help right away.

Do not try to
vomit.

Do not eat or drink anything.

Pain in children under 3 years

It can be hard to tell how much pain a baby or toddler is in.

Severe pain (8 to 10): The
pain is so bad that the baby cannot sleep, cannot get comfortable, and cries
constantly no matter what you do. The baby may kick, make fists, or
grimace.

Moderate pain (5 to 7): The baby is
very fussy, clings to you a lot, and may have trouble sleeping but responds
when you try to comfort him or her.

Mild pain (1 to 4): The baby is a little fussy and clings to you a little but responds
when you try to comfort him or her.

Pain in adults and older children

Severe pain (8 to 10): The pain
is so bad that you can't stand it for more than a few hours, can't sleep, and
can't do anything else except focus on the pain.

Moderate pain (5 to 7): The pain is bad enough to disrupt your
normal activities and your sleep, but you can tolerate it for hours or days.
Moderate can also mean pain that comes and goes even if it's severe when it's
there.

Mild pain (1 to 4): You notice the pain,
but it is not bad enough to disrupt your sleep or activities.

Seek Care Today

Based on your answers, you may need care soon. The
problem probably will not get better without medical care.

Call your doctor today to discuss the symptoms
and arrange for care.

If you cannot reach your doctor or you don't
have one, seek care today.

Home Treatment

The following home treatment may
help relieve discomfort after you swallow an object into your digestive tract.

Do not cause (induce) vomiting unless your doctor
or the poison control center specifically instructs you to do so. Vomiting
could cause you to inhale (aspirate) the object
into your windpipe or lungs.

Drink liquids. If swallowing liquids
is easy, try eating soft bread or a banana. If eating soft bread or a banana is
easy, try adding other foods. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains may help
move the swallowed object through the digestive tract.

Continue to drink more liquids until the
object has passed in your stool. Extra fluid will help the object move through
the digestive tract. The object should pass within 7 days.

Watch
your stools to see if the object has passed. Do not use a
laxative unless your doctor tells you to.

Note:

Do not use syrup of ipecac. It is no
longer used to treat poisonings. If you have syrup of ipecac in your home,
call your pharmacist for instructions on how to dispose of it
and throw away the container. Do not store anything
else in the container.

Prevention

To prevent children younger than 4 years
from swallowing or inhaling objects:

Carefully supervise young
children.

Keep small items out of your child's
reach.

Teach children not to put anything other than food in their
mouths.

Do not give children
foods that may cause choking. These include hard, smooth, or chewy foods that
must be chewed with a grinding motion or foods that are round and can easily
get stuck in the throat. These types of food are more likely to be swallowed
improperly or inhaled.

Have children, especially toddlers, sit down
to eat their food.

Cut food into small pea-sized
pieces.

Do not feed your child while he or she is crying or
breathing rapidly.

Discourage talking, laughing, or playing while
your child has food or beverages in his or her mouth.

Do not give
young children
small objects that may cause choking, such as marbles
or jacks.

Look for age guidelines when selecting toys for children.

Do not let your child play with a toy if he
or she is younger than the recommended age for the toy.

The safest
toys for small children are at least
1.25 in. (3 cm) around or
2.25 in. (6 cm) in length.

For more information about how to prevent accidental
poisoning, see the topic
Poisoning. Keep the poison control center number for
your area readily available.

Practice the following suggestions
when eating, and teach them to your children. Children may copy your
behavior.

Cut your food into small pieces.

Eat
small bites slowly and carefully, and chew your food thoroughly.

Do
not laugh or talk with food in your mouth.

Do not eat or drink
while you are involved in another activity, such as driving.

Do not
hold objects such as pins, nails, and toothpicks in your mouth and
lips.

Avoid excessive drinking of alcohol while eating.

To be prepared for a choking emergency, take an approved first
aid course such as those that are sponsored by the American Heart Association
or the American Red Cross.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use.
How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.